


Osbert

by Crookes



Category: The Last Kingdom (TV), The Warrior Chronicles | The Saxon Stories - Bernard Cornwell
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, is actually something that can be so personal, looking after your best friend after he's been wounded in battle, slow burn - ish, water fights for some reason??
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:15:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25979584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crookes/pseuds/Crookes
Summary: Uhtred had never felt more like he had returned to being Osbert
Relationships: Finan/Uhtred of Bebbanburg
Comments: 9
Kudos: 45





	Osbert

**Author's Note:**

> A little more books than show this one because he doesn't get wounded at the battle of Tettanhall in the show but there's nothing else you need to know from the books for this. It's just me being back on my BS with self-indulgent U/F soooo....

With a sudden lurch Uhtred threw his cup against the far wall. It was wooden, not clay, so it didn’t even have the decency to smash. It just clattered to the floor, the sound mocking him.

There was a scream of frustration trapped at the base of his ribs but he was too tired to give it voice so he just slumped back onto his bed and glared at the ceiling some more.

It chafed, this weakness, he felt betrayed by his own body, always tired, always in pain.

Where was Uhtred of Bebbanburg now?

Not here, not anymore.

His mind wandered, alert and angry even as his body remained lethargic. He was growing accustomed to the dissonance of what he wanted to do and what he could do even if he didn’t like it.

Those first couple of weeks since Tettanhall there had been no end of people wandering in and out of his chambers. Healers, priests, Sihtric, Osferth, Hild, his children. Even Aethelflaed had stayed a few days until it became clear that he would recover and she was called back to her own responsibilities in Mercia.

The only person who had not been to see him since he had been firmly ensconced in his bed at Coccham, was Finan.

Uhtred had spent more time than he cared to admit rolling that thought around his mind and all he had these days was time. He thought back to their time on the slave ship, when Finan had only known him as Osbert, Finan had not balked at his weakness then. Had helped him through it as Uhtred had for him.

Uhtred had never felt more like he had returned to being Osbert since those years aboard Sverri’s ship and yet Finan was nowhere to be found. It didn’t sit well with him, like his own shame at his infirmity had spread to Finan.

He wished he had another cup to throw.

The ache from his wound began to spread through his limbs again, weighing him down. He tried to shift to ease it but hissed as the movement sent a spike of agony along his side.

Nothing he did, nothing the priests or the healers did, seemed to help it, he could only wait it out. He felt as if he had been holding his breath since the day Cnut had stabbed him, waiting to see if this would be the end of him or if he would just linger in this bed-ridden half life till he accepted his fate and took his own life to retain what little dignity he had left.

But Bebbanburg was not yet recaptured and his son not yet ready to lead so the stubbornness to endure remained. Uhtred had lived through the gods fickle tempers before and he would again.

At least that’s what he told himself, but still he was here in this bed, not even able to go for a piss without concerted effort and dizzying pain.

The door to his room creaked and Uhtred wondered if his outburst had drawn attention, he did not feel like being coddled or pitied right now. He glared as the door pushed open further, ready to tell whoever it was to fuck off but the face that stood there was not one he was expecting.

He had to scratch around his mind for the man’s name, “Osric?” he asked finally.

“Yes, Lord,” the man smiled at him, pleased that he had been remembered. He walked further into the room slowly, favouring his right leg. And then Uhtred remembered too that Osric had been with him at Beamfleot, had been wounded there and not fit to fight since.

But he was Uhtred’s man, wounded in his service and Uhtred had made sure Osric lived comfortably. He had a family now, a wife and three daughters.

“I wished to see you, Lord, if now is convenient?” Osric asked.

“I am not going anywhere,” Uhtred answered wryly.

Osric smiled as if he had been expecting that response and pulled a chair to the side of Uhtred’s bed, sitting down heavily with a relieved sigh as he stretched his leg out in front of him.

“Is there something I can help with?” Uhtred prompted him.

“No, Lord, I only thought we might talk awhile,” Osric smiled again, Uhtred was confused by the request but he had little else to distract him from the pain so gestured for Osric to continue. “I understand that you were wounded badly, Lord.”

“I was skewered like a pig,” Uhtred snorted. Osric chuckled with him.

“Yes, that is what I heard Lord.” Osric began, “If it is not too forward I wanted to see how you were faring, you have after all been good to me and my family, I thought I might attempt to repay some of my debt to you?”

“You owe me no debt Osric,” Uhtred sighed.

“All the same I should like to help,” Osric insisted.

“There is nothing you can offer that has not already been tried, I am fine, you should attend to yourself and your family.”

“Forgive me Lord but it is not the health of your body I wish to offer my assistance for, it is the health of your mind,” Osric looked pointedly at the cup still lying on the floor at the foot of Uhtred’s bed. Uhtred glared, feeling immediately defensive.

“I am perfectly well,” Uhtred told him coldly.

Osric didn’t bat an eyelid at Uhtred’s tone, instead he leaned back in his chair as if settling in for a long stay.

“Might I tell you a story Lord? If you are well and do not need my assistance then I should at least like to entertain you for a while,” Osric suggested.

Uhtred shrugged to say it made no difference to him and tried to shift again against the pillows at his back, pushed further into annoyance by the hiss of pain that escaped him.

Osric watched him carefully and then began.

“I ran around a lot as a boy, always wanting to get somewhere I probably shouldn’t be,” Osric chuckled and Uhtred almost felt himself pulled into a smile as well, remembering his own precociousness as a child.

“I grew up strong, the pride of my mother, God rest her soul. Fighting was all I understood myself to be good for, a feeling I am sure you well understand, Lord.” Uhtred nodded his acknowledgement as Osric looked at him, he had been raised to be a warrior, it was and always had been his purpose.

“I was not a man who could abide weakness, indeed that is why I sought out your service Lord,” Osric continued, “you draw men to you because they see your victories and your strength and that is why they stay even when there are not always riches,” Osric laughed.

“I always provide for my men,” Uhtred groused.

“Yes Lord, you do and we thank you for it, it was only a small joke,” Osric smiled and Uhtred was drawn into a wry smile of his own. It was true enough that his fortunes had veered up and down over the years.

“My point is,” Osric barrelled on, “after Beamfleot I thought my life was over, I had no strength, no use, no real ties to this earth. I was angry, so angry that it seemed the only emotion left in me.”

Uhtred looked up at the ceiling, feeling a sympathising stir of his own anger.

“Not at anyone or anything really, just angry, all the time. I hated that my health and strength had been taken from me, that I had been diminished whilst others continued to prosper and fight,” Osric continued.

“I persisted and hung on out of stubbornness alone, the anger had its own purpose, I will not say do not feel it, it is part of pain but when the tiredness sets in, when the anger and pain both exhaust you and you do not see a way forward I ask that you remember me. Remember that I have a loving wife and children, a home, a life, that I have laughed and cried many times since I first understood I would not stand in a shield-wall again,” Osric asked of him.

Uhtred sighed and met the man’s gaze, he understood of course but he had nothing to offer Osric other than that he had been heard.

“All of that is by-the-by however,” Osric chuckled, rising slowly from his chair, “as I believe you will recover and stand in a shield-wall again, you need only hang on stubbornly till then.”

“You believe so?” Uhtred asked.

“I do, Lord. Your gods love you, I have seen it time and time again, I do not think this will last,” Osric asserted and somehow out of everyone who had told him he would recover, Uhtred believed him. Perhaps because Osric seemed to genuinely believe it himself.

“Osric?” Uhtred called, stopping the man just as he reached the door.

“Yes Lord?”

“What made you think to visit me?” Uhtred asked.

“Oh, it was Finan Lord, he asked me to come see you,” Osric smiled and made to leave.

“Osric?” Uhtred stopped him again, “Can you ask Finan to see me when he is free?”

“Yes Lord, of course,” Osric accepted the task and was gone, leaving Uhtred to mull over their conversation.

It was late by the time Uhtred’s door creaked open again and Uhtred had grown restless waiting. He had spent the better part of an hour getting comfortable propped up against the pillows so that he would be ready to talk when Finan arrived.

And then he had waited. And waited. And waited.

And now he didn’t want to talk to Finan, he wanted to throttle him.

So when Finan poked his head around the door with a cautious, “You wanted to see me Lord?” Uhtred glared at him like only Uhtred could.

“Yes.”

Finan closed the door behind him but didn’t move much further into the room, hesitating where he stood.

“For fucks sake Finan, just sit down,” Uhtred snapped.

“Jesus, you don’t have to get pissy with me,” Finan rolled his eyes and went to grab the stool where Osric had sat hours before, he settled on it with a huff and Uhtred reluctantly felt some of his ire retreat, he had perhaps missed his friend.

They frowned at each other, neither willing to back down until finally Finan broke into a laugh and Uhtred followed.

“Ow, stop, it hurts to laugh,” Uhtred huffed.

“Sorry, sorry,” Finan half rose out of his chair, reaching out to help but Uhtred pressed a hand to his side and waved Finan off , “you should have seen your face though, you looked like a horse had just shat on your boots,” Finan chuckled.

“Yeah well you look like you’ve been avoiding me for a month,” Uhtred replied pointedly.

“Caught that, did’ya?” Finan winced.

“Hard not to when everyone else in this damn place has been by to stare at me,” Uhtred added bitterly.

Finan sighed and stared at his hands, letting silence lapse between them.

Uhtred waited.

“You scared the shit out of me,” Finan whispered softly once enough time had passed that the silence grew heavy.

“What?” Uhtred asked, surprised. He had expected some joke about picking up the slack in Uhtred’s absence, not this quiet admission.

“There was so much blood,” Finan continued, still talking at his hands, “and you weren’t talking, just moaning and I thought…I thought that was it.”

“That’s been the general consensus, yes,” Uhtred side-eyed him. He had almost died, he knew that, he had been told that by bloody everyone. He would have thought Finan the last person to get hung up on it, they were warriors, they had long ago accepted that death was a part of their lives.

Finan stood suddenly, running a frustrated hand through his hair. Uhtred watched him, baffled.

“You don’t get it,” Finan barked at him.

“What? What don’t I get?!” Uhtred growled back.

Finan stared at him pleadingly, but Uhtred couldn’t understand it, he didn’t know what Finan wanted from him.

“I…” Finan began and then stopped himself, he exhaled sharply, “I think it is past time I retire for the night, Lord. I will visit more often if you are lacking company but if you’ll excuse me for tonight, you should rest and I should sleep.”

Finan turned on his heel, making towards the door.

“Finan! Finan don’t you dare you poxy Irish bastard!” Uhtred swung his legs to the floor impulsively and immediately groaned at the pain that ripped through him, his vision swimming with it.

Uhtred vaguely felt a hand propping him up but his eyes were shut tightly as he tried to breathe through the sensation of being stabbed all over again.

“I always knew you were an idiot but you might have outdone yourself this time,” Finan rumbled next to his ear. Finan pushed him gently, easing him back up against the pillows and helping him to swing his legs back onto the bed.

Uhtred opened his eyes, breath shallow and rasping, he realised he had hold of Finan’s arm but he was not about to let go if that meant Finan would try to bolt again.

“What don’t I get Finan? We have seen each other at our worst haven’t we? Why is this different?” Uhtred asked, tugging on Finan’s arm as if he could shake the answers out of him.

Finan let out an exasperated huff and looked up as if asking his God for forbearance. Uhtred was pretty sure all that was up there was the ceiling and he had enough experience staring at _that_ to know it would offer no help.

Finan lifted Uhtred’s hand from his arm, making him frown, but Finan didn’t leave and he didn’t let go. Just sat back down on the stool and held Uhtred’s hand in his.

“I always thought that if you were to die I would die beside you, I do not have a plan if you die first and leave me behind,” Finan admitted.

“That’s all? You’re a skilled warrior Finan, you could go anywhere.”

“Uhtred,” Finan chuckled softly, “I am saying that I would not know how to live without you.”

Uhtred glanced away.

“You’d be fine,” Uhtred asserted, but he thought of what he would do if the positions were reversed, if Finan died and left him behind and he had to swallow around an ache in his chest that had nothing to do with his wound. It would hit him as hard as Gisela’s death had, he realised.

“Perhaps,” Finan conceded, “but I do not wish to find out. And when I see you I am reminded that I almost lost you so yes, I have been avoiding you. I have however arranged for daily updates on your condition, you should really stop yelling at priests, the last one looked like he was going to piss himself by the time he left your room.”

“They’re too damn fussy and half of them imply I deserve it for being pagan,” Uhtred grumbled.

“I know,” Finan laughed and squeezed his hand. Uhtred had almost forgotten he still held it but now he could think of nothing else. It felt important, the warmth of Finan’s skin against his, though he was not sure he could articulate why, only that it grounded him as his breath eased and the pain in his side abated.

“Finan, if it helps, I do not know what I would do without you either,” Uhtred sighed.

“It does help,” Finan smiled, “now you really should rest.”

Finan let go of his hand and stood, Uhtred found himself missing the sensation already.

“You will come back? I’ve been going a little stir crazy in here, I need someone to take the piss out of now and again,” Uhtred joked.

“You mean you need someone to take the piss out of _you_ now and again,” Finan grinned, “a service I am more than happy to provide.”

“Sure, sure, whichever you like just keep me company once in a while you arseling,” Uhtred told him.

“I will,” Finan agreed, “for now, sleep, I’ll be back during more sociable hours.”

Uhtred’s eyes were already slipping closed by the time Finan reached the door but he was sure he saw his friend pause and glance back at him before he left.

Finan stuck to his word, he visited almost every day, sometimes twice a day. He’d consult on estate matters or sit and have dinner with him, drinking ale and reminiscing over old war wounds and lost friends.

One memorable night he convinced the servants to drag a table and bench into Uhtred’s room and brought Sihtric, Osferth and Uhtred’s son with him for a mini feast. The cook entered with a lavish dish of roast mutton to much applause and the ale ran freely.

Uhtred found he did not mind so much that laughing made his side hurt when he had good ale and good company to dull the pain.

Finan still looked at him sometimes like he was worried Uhtred would disappear but Uhtred would make a joke and the look would pass.

He took to walking around his room with Finan as support, each time a little easier. The pain was still there, still woke him up drenched in sweat sometimes but he was beginning to believe it would pass.

He was beginning to feel like Uhtred and not small and helpless Osbert once more.

Finan seemed to notice the change as well, keeping him on his feet longer and longer as they shuffled round Uhtred’s room.

“We could always walk around outside?” Finan suggested one day.

“I don’t fancy being stared at, thanks,” Uhtred grouched, tightening his arm about Finan’s shoulders when he almost mis-stepped.

“I’d have thought you would be desperate to look at something other than these four walls,” Finan replied and Uhtred didn’t even have to look at him to hear the eye-roll.

“I don’t want this to be how my men remember me,” Uhtred sighed, “they have to be able to believe in my strength or I will never be able to lead them into battle again.”

“You have earned their respect a hundred times over Uhtred, being wounded doesn’t just erase that,” Finan scoffed.

“I would still rather not,” Uhtred replied and when Finan didn’t answer assumed that would be the end of it.

He really should have known better.

Finan appeared two days later with a cloak so large it may as well have been a blanket and a smug grin.

“You look far too pleased with yourself,” Uhtred commented.

“Come on, you’ve got to give it to me, no-one will know it’s you in this thing,” Finan laughed.

“I would like to think my men aren’t so stupid that they won’t guess it’s me when you walk out of here with a limping old man,” Uhtred replied archly.

“Enough of the old thank you, I’ve still got two years on you and I don’t count myself as decrepit yet.”

“Sure, sure, you’re as spry as any twenty year old,” Uhtred teased.

“I am, thank you for noticing,” Finan grinned back.

“I’m still not going with you,” Uhtred narrowed his eyes stubbornly.

“You are, whether you like it or not. Uhtred, we’re only going to the river, I’ve ensured no-one will be around but frankly you need a wash. Wet cloths have clearly not been enough cause you smell like a tavern outhouse,” Finan would brook no argument it seemed so Uhtred glared but still eased his legs to the floor.

It was true that a wash would be nice, whatever they had packed his wound with smelled horrid.

Finan dropped the cloak on his head and Uhtred pulled it round his shoulders, muttering about insubordination.

Finan just stood there grinning, still too pleased with himself.

Once Uhtred seemed ready Finan pulled his arm around his shoulders and helped Uhtred to stand in a move that had become well-practiced over the last couple weeks.

Shuffling through the door, Finan trying to hold it open and simultaneously keep an eye out for anyone, was a little more awkward but Uhtred had to bite his tongue to stop himself laughing at the two of them so he couldn’t be too mad about it.

“We make a right pair,” Finan commented, not bothering to stop his own huff of laughter.

“Just wait till we _are_ old, creaky knees and all, I’ll get my son to push us round in a cart whilst we get sloshed on ale,” Uhtred told him. He could feel the rumble of Finan’s laughter against his side and grinned at the image he had conjured, the two of them old and drunk and happy.

“Jesus, stop, I need to focus on getting you to the river without dropping you and you are not helping,” Finan griped though his tone was warm with amusement.

It was slow going as Uhtred had expected it to be, his body ached but the air already smelled fresher and he was glad Finan had bullied him into leaving his room.

There was no-one around just as Finan had promised and Uhtred wondered how he had managed it. He must have gone to quite a lot of effort to organise this, Uhtred realised. He tightened his arm around Finan’s shoulders, wanting to convey his gratitude for this and for everything else but not knowing how to speak it.

Finan glanced at him and paused, pressing a hand to Uhtred’s mid-riff to still him.

“You need a break?” Finan asked but Uhtred was distracted by the warmth seeping through his tunic to his skin from Finan’s hand against him. He remembered that warmth from when Finan had held onto him only two weeks ago.

It had seemed important then and it seemed important now.

“No, I’m fine,” Uhtred shook his head slightly and they kept going, Finan’s hand leaving him.

They left the hall through a side door and Uhtred inhaled as deeply as he could without triggering a spasm of pain. It had rained recently, the earth still smelled damp with it, but the sun was above them, Uhtred could not help but tip his head up and bask in the heat of it on his cheeks for a moment.

Finan seemed to understand and they paused a moment before continuing. It was harder now, the ground uneven and Uhtred could feel sweat beading at his temples, each step taking ten times more effort than it would have done before being gutted.

He marvelled at how he had not thought about walking for a second before but now it took all of his concentration.

By the time they reached the river Uhtred was ready to lie down again. He shrugged the cloak off and held onto Finan’s arm as he eased himself to the ground. He pushed his hair back from his forehead and focused on easing his laboured breathing.

“You gonna just sit there?” Finan asked pointedly.

“Give me a minute,” Uhtred complained, punching Finan lightly in the side of the leg. Finan just smirked at him.

Uhtred watched the play of light over the water until he felt he had recovered enough strength and curled his hand in the bottom of his tunic to try and lift it off.

He got it halfway before a stab of pain shot through him and he stopped, hissing through his teeth at the sensation.

He had not realised he had closed his eyes but when he opened them again Finan was knelt by him, taking the tunic from his hands. Uhtred stayed quiet, watching as he let Finan undress him, easing one arm out of the sleeve then pulling it over his head and down the other arm.

“Bet you didn’t think this was what you were signing up for when you decided to follow me after Sverri’s ship,” Uhtred teased, trying to ease the sudden tension in his chest.

Finan barked a laugh.

“Aye, I’ll grant you that but I doubt I’d have chosen differently even if I had known,” Finan smiled and Uhtred had to look away, unable to stand it somehow.

He kicked off his boots for something to do instead. It felt too strange, too intimate to take his breeches off so he left them on.

Finan held out a hand to lift him to his feet again and Uhtred found himself bracing for the contact before taking it. He didn’t know what was wrong with him, it was only Finan, but he was incredibly glad suddenly for the chance to dunk his head in the water. Maybe that would clear it of this nervous buzzing.

His toes curled as soon as they felt the cold of the water but he kept moving forward, if only to escape the heat of Finan’s body next to his.

Finan let him go after a few steps and sat down on the river bank whilst Uhtred moved unsteadily further into the water. His steps were easier now, the water balancing him, it was nourishing feeling the coolness against his skin, against his wound.

Uhtred sunk under the water when it grew deep enough, it was quiet, peaceful.

When he emerged again Finan threw a rag at him.

“Try not to drown, Hild will have my balls!” Finan shouted at him.

Uhtred just winked at him and started to scrub the dirt from his skin, he was gentle around his wound but it still stung slightly. 

Finan stayed watching him from the riverbank, chewing on a piece of dried grass and leaning back on his elbows. Uhtred worked the knots from his hair and watched Finan back from the corner of his eye, trying to figure out why he had been feeling tense around his old friend.

“Are you not going to wash as well?” Uhtred asked eventually, thinking the restlessness beneath his skin might just be due to being watched.

“I’ve already washed, the river’s all yours,” Finan called back.

“Come on,” Uhtred needled, “it’s boring just sitting there, a grubby Irishman like you could always do with another wash!”

Uhtred threw the now wet rag at Finan who only just managed to duck it. Finan glared at him and Uhtred just laughed.

“See if I ever do you another favour!” Finan snapped at him but he was already standing and pulling his shirt off so Uhtred didn’t take it too seriously.

Finan was muttering angrily when he entered the water, Uhtred thought he heard something about enjoying the view. Uhtred looked around him, it was only the river, not even a particularly nice bit of the river.

Finan splashed him when he got close enough.

“That’s for throwing the rag at me you ungrateful sod,” Finan smirked.

“Oh this is how you want to play it?” Uhtred grinned wickedly and gathered all the strength he had to splash him back. Finan emerged from the mini wave spluttering indignantly, hair and face dripping.

Uhtred laughed at his expression and ducked to the side as Finan aimed another splash at him.

“Stay still you bastard,” Finan growled as Uhtred swum around him, still laughing.

Finan lunged for him and Uhtred was just a second too slow to swerve and found himself dunked back under the water. Uhtred just about managed to grab Finan’s shoulder and drag him down with him.

They both let go at the same moment and surfaced gasping and laughing.

Finan’s hair was darkened by the water and his eyes still shone with laughter and Uhtred finally placed the restlessness he had been feeling.

It was want.

Uhtred should have been familiar with the feeling but he had never thought to connect it with his oldest friend before.

He drew back slightly, far too aware of how close Finan was.

“We should probably head back,” Uhtred rasped.

“Probably a good idea, the sun will start going down soon,” Finan agreed readily.

Uhtred started to make his way back to shore first, Finan following. Once his feet reached the riverbed again and he began to walk through the waves the tiredness of his limbs hit him.

Finan noticed, of course he did, and placed a steadying hand at Uhtred’s back. Uhtred’s nerves crackled under the touch and he concentrated on keeping his breath steady and putting one foot in front of the other until they reached solid ground.

Once there Uhtred sunk down, lying on the ground and letting the air and sun dry him. He closed his eyes, basking in the afternoon sun as he tried to adjust to his new worldview.

He felt more than heard Finan lie down next to him.

“This isn’t quite going back but I can’t say I’m complaining,” Finan commented and Uhtred hummed his agreement.

Peace, like slow-dripping honey, settled between them and Uhtred realised he had not thought of the ache in his side for the past hour, too full of another ache.

He thought of Finan quietly confessing that he did not know how to live without him, of half-uttered sentences and the diligent, patient care with which Finan had been treating him.

He thought of every time Finan had been at his back without Uhtred ever needing to ask him, every time Finan had gotten him drunk and sang him his Irish songs when Uhtred had suffered through losses he had not known how to bear.

He thought of the man next to him who could have done anything he wanted when he was freed from slavery but had instead spent his years following Uhtred, keeping him safe and sane.

“Finan?”

“Hmm?”

“I think I get it now,” Uhtred told him. He opened his eyes just in time to see Finan turn to him, startled.

“What?” Finan chuckled, aiming at confused and dismissive but landing on nervous.

Uhtred sighed and reached a lazy hand out to brush along Finan’s jaw.

“Please don’t make me move, I’m far too comfortable,” Uhtred teased.

Finan lifted up onto his elbows and gaped at him.

“Jesus, Uhtred, are you messing with me?” Finan asked shakily.

“No,” Uhtred answered calmly.

Finan stared at him a moment longer, seeming to expect a catch but Uhtred just waited patiently, fingers still curled into the edge of his beard.

As much as he had expected it, wanted it, asked for it, Uhtred still gasped when Finan’s mouth found his. The scratch of Finan’s beard was certainly a new sensation but not an unpleasant one.

Finan’s arm came around to lean against the ground at the side of his head, bracketing him in. He could feel every inch of skin where Finan was pressed up against his good side and felt drunk with it.

Uhtred pressed up into the heat of Finan’s breath, marvelling at his need for it. Finan moaned against him and he felt the vibration of it on his lips. He wondered how long Finan had wanted this, resolved to ask him later when he was less preoccupied with tracing the inseam of Finan’s bottom lip with his tongue.

By the time Finan pulled back Uhtred’s mouth felt swollen but Finan looked equally rumpled and flushed so he couldn’t bring himself to care.

The sun was truly going down now and the air had grown cold around them.

“Much as I would love to continue this, we really should go back,” Finan huffed, “You’re no doubt tired and someone will notice you’re gone soon.”

Uhtred would complain at Finan being practical but the Irishman’s gaze kept dropping to his mouth so at least Finan was conflicted about it.

“Fine, pass me my shirt will you?” Uhtred asked, Finan rolled his eyes but did so anyway. He grabbed his own shirt on the way and pulled it over his head before helping Uhtred into his.

Finan kissed him again once the shirt was pulled over Uhtred’s head, quick and sharp, as if he couldn’t help himself now that he was allowed. Uhtred smiled into it and they lost a few more minutes.

It took them longer to get back to Uhtred’s room and a few people spotted them walking slowly along, Uhtred still leaning on Finan for support. Uhtred found he wasn’t particularly bothered by people seeing him limp anymore.

Uhtred dragged Finan back to him as soon as he was propped against the pillows on his bed once more. He couldn’t imagine ever getting enough of it, Finan dropped awkwardly onto the edge of the bed and laughed into the kiss.

Uhtred pulled back and nipped at the side of his neck in retaliation.

Finan’s breath stuttered and Uhtred smiled against his skin, smug. Finan dug a hand into his hair and pulled him back to his mouth, drinking down the moan that lingered on the tip of Uhtred’s tongue.

Uhtred felt young again but not small, not Osbert. He was Uhtred of Bebbanburg, a warrior in his prime, strong and reckless.

There was a knock at the door and they sprang back from each other, Finan standing away from the bed and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as if that could hide anything.

The door eased open, “Dinner, Lord?”

“Yes, thank you Eawynn,” Uhtred answered and the young servant girl entered with a pot of stew, leaving it on the table by his bed before bowing and leaving with only a small puzzled glance at Finan.

“I should… I should leave you to it, get some food myself,” Finan told him.

“Mm, I will probably eat and then sleep, I’ve done more today than I have in the past month and a half,” Uhtred winked at him.

“What the hell have I got myself into?” Finan groaned in exasperation.

Uhtred raised an amused eyebrow at him, an extremely self-satisfied grin on his face.

“Goodnight Uhtred, I’ll see you tomorrow,” Finan told him pointedly, “and you best finish that food.”

“I will,” Uhtred agreed amicably, “goodnight Finan, till tomorrow.”

“Till tomorrow,” Finan echoed and left before he could be convinced otherwise.

Uhtred chuckled to himself and picked up his bowl of stew.

Perhaps life would be even more interesting from now on.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic kind of went off in it's own direction, it was originally only going to be 2-3k but here we are 
> 
> I really hope you enjoyed it because I'm kind of happy with how it turned out
> 
> Comments always make my day!


End file.
